Fellowships of the Higher Education Academy

IMPORTANT: For the future submission round of applications for HEA fellowships, a new system will be in place.

If you wish to submit an application for the next round (January 2019), you MUST send an email indicating your intention to submit, to: fellows@aber.ac.ukbefore Dec 1st 2018, indicating the category (Associate Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow) of fellowship for which you intend to apply.

You will then be given acess to the ARCHE Blackboard site where final submissions will be made.

If you wish to apply for Principal Fellow, this must be done directly to the HEA, using their forms, guidelines and systems.

NOTE: The ARCHE scheme is currently in the process of being re-accredited by the HEA and so many of the forms and guideline documentation are still subject to change. For this reason, much of the information, usually found on this website, is currently offline. For assistance, in the meanwhile, please contact fellows@aber.ac.uk

Aberystwyth Recognition of Continuing Professional Development in Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education (ARCHE)

ARCHE is Aberystwyth University's own, HEA accredited, scheme for the awarding of HEA fellowships. This replaces direct applications for fellowships, to the HEA, which are no longer supported.

ARCHE is based on the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) against which the HEA's four categories of fellowship are mapped. The HEA has given approval for Aberystwyth University to award HEA fellowships in all three categories:

Associate Fellow

Fellow

Senior Fellow

Why should I apply for a HEA fellowship?

HEA fellowships are considered to be a recognised teaching accreditation, across the sector, and represent an important route to recognition for experienced staff with no previous qualification for teaching in HE.

Academic progression from grade 7 to 8 requires a fellowship (FHEA) and senior fellowship (SFHEA) is required for progression to senior lecturer.

Routes to Fellowships

1. Qualification Route: PGCTHE and TPAU

Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (PGCTHE)

New staff, with fewer than 3 years appropriate experience of teaching in Higher Education, are required to complete the PGCTHE. The certificate comprises two 30 credit M-level modules.

Successful completion of module 1 is accompanied by the entitlement to an Associate Fellowship (AFHEA), while completion of the entire certificate leads to a Fellowship (FHEA).

Postgraduate students who teach on Abersywyth courses are encouraged to complete the TPAU scheme. This is not an Aberystwyth module, but successful completion leads to the award of associate fellow (AFHEA).

Note that if you possess an AFHEA or PGCE, you may apply for direct entry to module 2 of the PGCTHE. Completion of the PGCTHE in this way, still entitlese you a fellowship (FHEA).

Staff with only a small amount of teaching, may also apply for the TPAU scheme.

Experienced staff involved in teaching or supporting learning can apply for any of the four categories of fellowship by submitting an application to the ARCHE. In essence, this is a submission of evidence that your practice can be seen to align to one of the four Descriptors of the UKPSF and therefore make you eligible for the corresponding category of fellowship:

UKPSF Descriptors and Fellowship Category:

D1 Associate Fellow D2 FellowD3 Senior FellowD4 Principal Fellow

Qualification or direct route - which is best for me?

If you are new to teaching in HEA, you are obliged to take the more developmental qualification route. The direct route is not meant to be an easy way to avoid taking an accredited course - the evidence that is required for a successful direct apopplication is very similar to that required for successful completion of the PGCTHE or TPAU. The requirements of the direct route, such as evidencing how your practice, as a teacher, is continually informed and updated, is sometimes difficult to find, if you have not completed any continuing prefessional development as a teacher in HE. If you are unsure which route is for you, contact the ARCHE scheme manager on fellows@aber.ac.uk.

I think I may want to make a direct applicarion for a HEA fellowship. What do I do next?

1. Attend one of the short monthly workshops for potential applicants. You can book a place on the CDSAP booking system.https://stafftraining.bis.aber.ac.uk/sd/list_courses.php

2. Familiarise yourself with the UKPSF. You can download a copy here (copies are given out at the workshops).

3. Start thinking about what evidence you have that could contribute towards your application and decide what category of fellowship you wish to apply for.

4. Disucss your draft application with the ARCHE scheme manager and/or colleagues who have already successfully applied for that category of fellowship. It is a good idea to share very early drafts to ensure that you are on the right track. You can ring the scheme manager on extn. 1802.

5. Register an intent to submit and application, by sending an short email to fellows@aber.ac.uk. You must do this at least one month before the application deadline. Late notification may mean that your application will not be reviewed until the following submission round. In the email, please indicate the category of fellowship for which you will be applying.

6. Find your referees and give them warning of the timeline and what will be required of them. Ensure that they have time to see your final application well before the submission deadline. Ensure that they are familiar with the UKPSF and the requirements of the fellowship category for which you will be applying and ensure that they use the correct referee template. References must be submitted at the same time as the application itself.

7. Inform your Head of Department that you will be applying and ask that they also read your final application and indicate, by the same deadline, that you have their support for this application. A simple email, from the head of department to fellows@aber.ac.uk, before the deadline, will suffice - this is not another reference.

8. Ensure that you submit all the items on the checklist for your category of fellowship, by midnight on the submission deadline. You should prepare this application well in adcance of the deadline, but if you encounter problems, near the deadline, get in touch with the scheme manager, on fellows@aber.ac.uk, before the deadline.